This 35-Year-Old Apple Brandy Is the After-Dinner Drink That Hits Different

Look, I get it. Your bar at home probably has the usual suspects: a nice bourbon, some gin, maybe that bottle of mezcal you bought after a trip to Oaxaca. But there's always something missing. That one bottle that makes people pause and say, "Wait, what is that?"

Let me introduce you to Bhakta Spirits 1989 Single Vintage Calvados. It's a 35-year-old apple brandy from Normandy, France, and at $235, it might just be the most interesting bottle you'll add to your collection this year.

The guy behind the bottle has quite a story

Before we get into what's in the glass, you need to know about Raj Bhakta. This is a guy who appeared on Season 2 of The Apprentice (yes, that one), ran for Congress in Pennsylvania in 2006 while riding an elephant along the U.S.-Mexico border with a mariachi band (seriously), and then went on to create WhistlePig, essentially inventing the super-premium American rye whiskey category from scratch.

After getting pushed out of WhistlePig and selling his stake in 2019, he took his family on a sabbatical to France. The story goes that while staying in the French Alps, his pregnant wife kicked him out of the house. Instead of moping around, he drove to southwestern France's Armagnac region and stumbled upon Maison Ryst-Dupeyron, a family estate sitting on 38 barrels of Armagnac dating back to 1868. He bought the whole thing, château and all.

That's how Bhakta Spirits was born. The man basically operates as a treasure hunter for forgotten French spirits.

So what makes this particular Calvados special?

This comes from Pays d'Auge, which is basically the Grand Cru of Calvados country. We're talking about spirit distilled from 20 different heirloom apple varieties using traditional copper pot stills, then aged for 35 years in French oak barrels. Only three barrels were released, so we're looking at just a few hundred bottles total.

The Beverage Tasting Institute gave it 98 points and a "Superlative" rating. That's not nothing.

What does it actually taste like? Think warm caramel apple, poached pears, cinnamon, vanilla. The finish brings baked red apple, and this subtle hint of applewood-smoked bacon. The Whiskey Wash described notes of mulled cider and stewed apples. Basically, it's autumn in a glass.

A few honest caveats

I'm not going to pretend this bottle is perfect for everyone. You'll want to let it sit in the glass for 15-20 minutes before diving in. This isn't a pour-and-shoot situation.

And Bhakta Spirits as a brand has had some misses. Their Hogsworth bourbon got pretty rough reviews. But the 1989 Calvados seems to be the real deal based on what critics are saying.

There's also the question of whether an American-owned company buying up French spirits and finishing them in Vermont carries the same weight as century-old Norman producers like Roger Groult or Christian Drouin. Purists might care about that. If you're focused on what's in the glass rather than multi-generational family heritage, Bhakta delivers.

For what it's worth, Christian Drouin's 1989 vintage runs about $320. Bhakta is $235 for a comparable age and a higher critic score.

How to actually drink it

Calvados experts recommend serving it at room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass. Skip the brandy snifter, apparently. Those concentrate the alcohol vapors, making it harsh.

But here's the thing. I think this one's actually great on the rocks. The chill tames those aggressive floral notes and lets the apple character come through clean. It's not what the purists recommend, but a single large ice cube works really well here.

And if you're serving this after dinner? Put it next to a slice of apple pie. I know that sounds almost too obvious, but the pairing is legitimately spectacular. The complex, aged brandy playing off the warm, simple sweetness of pie is one of those combinations that just works.

Who should buy this?

If you know someone who's always adding to their home bar but never quite feels like they've finished, this is a fantastic gift. It's rare enough to feel special (only three barrels!), prestigious enough to impress (98 points!), and interesting enough to actually spark conversation. Not everyone has a 35-year-old French apple brandy on their shelf.

It's the kind of after-dinner drink that hits different. You pour it for guests after a good meal, let it breathe, maybe throw in one big ice cube, and suddenly you're having a conversation about some wild entrepreneur who got kicked out of his house by his pregnant wife and ended up buying a French château full of antique spirits.

That's a better story than whatever's on the bourbon shelf.